U.S. patent number 5,950,644 [Application Number 09/018,990] was granted by the patent office on 1999-09-14 for denture cleanser.
Invention is credited to Edward N. Brewer.
United States Patent |
5,950,644 |
Brewer |
September 14, 1999 |
Denture cleanser
Abstract
A denture cleaner is provided including a housing adapted to
contain a cleaning fluid. Also included is an agitator assembly for
forcing the cleaning fluid upwardly when actuated. Next provided is
a lid mounted on the housing with clamps for connecting dentures
thereto. The lid is removably mounted on the housing thereby
cleaning the dentures when the agitator assembly is actuated.
Inventors: |
Brewer; Edward N. (Dumas,
TX) |
Family
ID: |
21790823 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/018,990 |
Filed: |
February 5, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/58R; 134/184;
134/901; 134/188; 134/57R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C
17/036 (20130101); B08B 3/104 (20130101); Y10S
134/901 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B08B
3/10 (20060101); B08B 003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;134/58R,57R,901,184,188,140,135 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Stinson; Frankie L.
Assistant Examiner: Lee; Paul J.
Claims
I claim:
1. A denture cleaner comprising, in combination:
a housing having a frusto-conical configuration and defining a
hollow interior and an open top with an upper peripheral edge, the
housing including a horizontally oriented divider integrally
coupled at a central extent of the housing thereby defining an
upper compartment and a lower compartment, a meshed screen coupled
over the upper compartment adjacent to the open top of the housing,
and an elastomeric annular bushing mounted around the meshed screen
just inward and below the upper peripheral edge, wherein the upper
compartment is adapted to contain a cleaning fluid;
an agitator assembly including a motor mounted within the lower
compartment with a rotor adapted to rotate upon the receipt of
power, a turbine rotatably coupled to the divider and residing
within the lower compartment with the turbine being coupled to the
rotor of the motor for rotating coincidentally therewith which
forces the cleaning fluid upwardly, a speed selector connected
between a power source and the motor and further positioned on an
exterior surface of the housing for allowing the selective
determination of a speed of the rotation of the rotor of the motor,
and an actuator switch including a pair of contacts connected
between the power source and the motor and further positioned on
the upper peripheral edge for allowing the supply of power to the
motor only upon being electrically connected;
a transparent lid unit including a circular top face and a
periphery coupled to the top face and depending downwardly
therefrom for defining an interior space and a lower peripheral
edge adapted to be removably rested on the bushing of the housing,
the top face of the lid unit having a lower surface including a
pair of resilient C-shaped clamps for releasably securing to a pair
of dentures, the lid unit further including an actuator assembly
mounted to the periphery of the lid unit and having a pair of
contacts mounted thereon for communicating with those of the
agitator assembly when the lid is rested on the housing and a
momentary switch connected to the contacts of the actuator assembly
for electrically connecting the contacts of the actuator assembly
only when biased.
2. A denture cleaner comprising:
a housing adapted to contain a cleaning fluid with an upper
peripheral edge having a bushing mounted thereon;
an agitator assembly situated within the housing for forcing the
cleaning fluid upwardly when actuated;
a lid having a top face with a periphery depending downwardly
therefrom for defining a lower peripheral edge which is removably
rested on the bushing of the housing with a pair of resilient
C-shaped clamps, for releasably securing a pair of dentures,
depending from the top face of the lid and residing entirely above
the lower peripheral edge of the lid for connecting dentures
thereto, thereby cleaning the dentures when the agitator assembly
is actuated;
wherein a screen is situated between the agitator assembly and the
pair of resilient C-shaped clamps; and
wherein the screen is mounted to the housing.
3. A denture cleaner as set forth in claim 2 wherein the agitator
assembly is capable of being actuated only when the lid is rested
on the housing by way of a switch mechanism mounted on the upper
peripheral edge of the housing.
4. A denture cleaner as set forth in claim 2 wherein the lid is
transparent.
5. A denture cleaner as set forth in claim 2 wherein the agitator
assembly includes a turbine.
6. A denture cleaner as set forth in claim 2 wherein a screen is
situated between the agitator assembly and the at least one clamp
and is mounted to the housing.
7. A denture cleaner as set forth in claim 2 wherein the at least
one clamp includes fingers which depend downwardly in a
substantially vertical orientation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to denture cleaner systems and more
particularly pertains to a new denture cleanser for cleaning
dentures with agitated cleaning fluid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of denture cleaners is known in the prior art. More
specifically, denture cleaners heretofore devised and utilized are
known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious
structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for
the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art denture cleaner systems include U.S. Pat. No.
4,922,939; U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,361; U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,922; U.S.
Pat. Des. 261,423; U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,628; and U.S. Pat. No.
5,421,353.
In these respects, the denture cleanser according to the present
invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and
designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus
primarily developed for the purpose of cleaning dentures with
agitated cleaning fluid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types
of denture cleaner systems now present in the prior art, the
present invention provides a new denture cleanser construction
wherein the same can be utilized for cleaning dentures with
agitated cleaning fluid.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new
denture cleanser apparatus and method which has many of the
advantages of the denture cleaner systems mentioned heretofore and
many novel features that result in a new denture cleanser which is
not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by
any of the prior art denture cleaner systems, either alone or in
any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing
having a frusto-conical configuration. As best shown in FIG. 5, the
housing defines a hollow interior and an open top with an upper
peripheral edge. The housing includes a horizontally oriented
divider integrally coupled at a central extent of the housing. The
divider defines an upper compartment and a lower compartment.
Coupled over the upper compartment adjacent to the open top of the
housing is a meshed screen. An elastomeric annular bushing is
mounted around the meshed screen just inward and below the upper
peripheral edge. In operation, the upper compartment serves to
contain a cleaning fluid. Next provided is an agitator assembly
including a motor mounted within the lower compartment with a
rotor. Such rotor is adapted to rotate upon the receipt of power. A
turbine is rotatably coupled to the divider and fixedly coupled to
the rotor of the motor for rotating coincidentally therewith which
forces the cleaning fluid upwardly. For allowing the selective
determination of a speed of the rotation of the rotor, a speed
selector is connected between a power source and the motor. Such
selector is further positioned on an exterior surface of the
housing for being readily accessible. The agitator assembly lastly
includes an actuator switch having a pair of contacts connected
between the power source and the motor. The contacts are positioned
on the upper peripheral edge for allowing the supply of power to
the motor only upon being electrically connected. Finally, a
transparent lid unit includes a circular top face and a periphery
coupled to the top face. The periphery depends downwardly from the
top face for defining an interior space and a lower peripheral
edge. In use, the periphery is adapted to be removably rested on
the bushing of the housing. The top face of the lid unit has a
lower surface including a pair of resilient C-shaped clamps for
releasably securing to a pair of dentures. The lid unit further
includes an actuator assembly mounted to the periphery of the lid
unit. A pair of contacts are mounted on the lid unit for
communicating with those of the agitator assembly when the lid is
rested on the housing. Connected to the contacts of the actuator
assembly is a momentary switch for electrically connecting the
contacts of the actuator assembly only when biased.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are additional features of the invention that will be
described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the
claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is
not limited in its application to the details of construction and
to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is
capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out
in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology
and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description
and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be
utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods
and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded
as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and
especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art
who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence
of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is
neither intended to define the invention of the application, which
is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to
the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new
denture cleanser apparatus and method which has many of the
advantages of the denture cleaner systems mentioned heretofore and
many novel features that result in a new denture cleanser which is
not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by
any of the prior art denture cleaner systems, either alone or in
any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new
denture cleanser which may be easily and efficiently manufactured
and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new
denture cleanser which is of a durable and reliable
construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new
denture cleanser which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture
with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is
then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public,
thereby making such denture cleanser economically available to the
buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
new denture cleanser which provides in the apparatuses and methods
of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally
associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
denture cleanser for cleaning dentures with agitated cleaning
fluid.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a
new denture cleanser that includes a housing adapted to contain a
cleaning fluid. Also included is an agitator assembly for forcing
the cleaning fluid upwardly when actuated. Next provided is a lid
mounted on the housing with clamps for connecting dentures thereto.
The lid is removably mounted on the housing thereby cleaning the
dentures when the agitator assembly is actuated.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the
various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming
a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the
invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying
drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than
those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is
given to the following detailed description thereof. Such
description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a new denture cleanser according to the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is another side view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention with the lid unit
removed.
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the various electrical components
of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1
through 6 thereof, a new denture cleanser embodying the principles
and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by
the reference numeral 10 will be described.
The present invention, designated as numeral 10, includes a housing
12 having a frusto-conical configuration. As best shown in FIG. 5,
the housing defines a hollow interior and an open top with an upper
peripheral edge. The housing includes a horizontally oriented
divider 14 integrally coupled at a central extent of the housing.
The divider defines an equally sized upper compartment and lower
compartment. Coupled over the upper compartment adjacent to the
open top of the housing is a meshed screen 16. An elastomeric
annular bushing 18 is mounted around the meshed screen just inward
and below the upper peripheral edge. In operation, the upper
compartment serves to contain a cleaning fluid.
Next provided is an agitator assembly 20 including a motor mounted
within the lower compartment with a rotor. Such rotor is adapted to
rotate upon the receipt of power. A turbine 22 is rotatab,ly
coupled to the divider and fixedly coupled to the rotor of the
motor for rotating coincidentally therewith which forces the
cleaning fluid upwardly. The turbine has a length which
approximately equal to a diameter of the housing.
For allowing the selective determination of a speed of the rotation
of the rotor, a speed selector 24 is connected between a power
source and the motor. It should be noted that the power source
consists of an alternating current receptacle. Such selector is
further positioned on an exterior surface of the housing for being
readily accessible. The agitator assembly lastly includes an
actuator switch 26 having a pair of spaced contacts connected
between the power source and the motor. The contacts are positioned
on the upper peripheral edge of the housing for allowing the supply
of power to the motor only upon being electrically connected.
Finally, a transparent lid unit 28 includes a circular top face and
a periphery coupled to the top face. The periphery depends
downwardly from the top face for defining an interior space and a
lower peripheral edge. In use, the periphery is adapted to be
removably rested on the bushing of the housing. The top face of the
lid unit has a lower surface including a pair of resilient C-shaped
clamps 30 for releasably securing to a pair of dentures. The lid
unit further includes an actuator assembly mounted to the periphery
of the lid unit. As shown in FIG. 5, the clamps extend downwardly
to a point adjacent the lower peripheral edge of the lid unit.
The actuator assembly includes a pair of contacts mounted on the
lid unit for communicating with those of the agitator assembly when
the lid is rested on the housing. Connected to the contacts of the
actuator assembly is a momentary switch 34 for electrically
connecting the contacts of the actuator assembly only when biased.
As such, the contacts of the agitator assembly may be closed when
the lid unit is in place. The momentary switch is a slider switch
which has a biased closed orientation and an unbiased open
orientation.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of
the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above
description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the
manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized
that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the
invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,
function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed
readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all
equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and
described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by
the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications
and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *